Spider Vein Treatment

Spider vein treatment is a relatively pain-free method for reducing the appearance of those unsightly clusters of prominent veins that sometimes result from hormonal shifts, pregnancy, weight fluctuations or just heredity. Whether found on the thighs, calves, ankles or elsewhere, spider veins can be both uncomfortable and unattractive—but treatment provides a safe and effective way to reduce the look of these veins. The best candidates for spider vein treatment are healthy individuals who are bothered by their spider veins and are willing to follow a surgeon’s recommendations for treatment.

How Does Spider Vein Treatment Work?

There are two main ways to treat spider veins, through laser surgery or through what’s called sclerotherapy. Here is what these treatments involve:

Laser Surgery: Strong bursts of light projected at the spider veins can make them lessen or even disappear. This treatment method is primarily effective for smaller spider veins and does not require incisions or needles. The laser light energy targets the affected veins to diminish their appearance.

Sclerotherapy: The physician injects a specialized solution into the veins that scares and closes them, rerouting blood to healthier veins and closing the enlarged veins over time. This procedure sometimes needs to be repeated before being effective, but it doesn’t require anesthesia and is an outpatient procedure done in the doctor’s office.

What Results Can Be Expected?

Recovery time is different for every patient, but, with either form of spider vein treatment, it's normal to have some redness, itching or swelling at the procedure site as it heals. Likewise, patients will usually need to wear support hose after treatment in order to speed the healing process. Nonetheless, most patients notice improvement to the skin’s appearance after undergoing treatment, and any discomfort is temporary. As time goes on and new veins emerge, some patients continue treatments in order to continue improving outcomes.